Japanese Street Food

If you’ve been to Japan, you’ve probably had a meal or two on the streets, sitting at makeshift tables under the railway tracks or in a rickety wooden bar down a narrow alley, the chefs turning skewers of meat and vegetables on a red-hot grill.

A Hungry Student’s Oasis

When the Maekawas decided to buy Maekawa Bar (601 S. King St.) several years ago, they were fulfilling a wish from the husband, who was dying of cancer. He had asked them to open a bar where his friends could gather to chat, drink and eat.

Reviving Japantown

Todd Kuniyuki left a thriving career making TV commercials in Japan to return to a two-block section of Seattle’s International District known as Nihonmachi, or Japantown. His mission: Revive a local izakaya that was closing its doors.

Comfort Food with a Twist

Wann (2020 2nd Ave.) is a stylish izakaya with an inspired menu that includes rarely seen treats from Japan such as kamameshi (a traditional rice dish served in an iron pot) and never-beforeseen twists on traditional cuisine such as bleu cheese tempura or tsukune served as a pan-fried ground chicken patty with grated daikon radish (tsukune is typically served on skewers in Japan).